What Does Money Really Cost – ‘I Blew It’

This October, Mzansi Magic takes a thought-provoking look into the lives of South Africans who received an unexpected windfall, and in an instant, blew it all.

This sometimes-humorous, often tragic documentary, takes a deep look into the psyche of ordinary South Africans and how they’ve acted when presented wealth beyond their wildest dreams. I Blew It explores the heady intoxication of life with no monetary restrictions, and the sudden change in relationships and family dynamics.

The show creates a dialogue about the psychology of money and the influence or wealth it comes with, through the stories of ordinary people.

Each episode covers the story of a single participant, starting with their unexpected acquisition of wealth, followed by how the money was “blown”, ending with where the person is now – very often finding themselves in a worse financial state than before.

Take, thirty-two-year-old Nonhlanhla who received a lumpsum pay-out of R1 million in 2017. She blew the money in less than a year. She did minor renovations to her family home (owned by her grandmother) and took her mother’s advice to invest in a VW Caravelle Kombi. Then she went on a spending spree, indulging her whole family on an extravagant shopping spree at Maponya Mall.

Then there’s Thabo, who won R 1.8 million in the national lottery when he was 30 years old. He blew the money within three years but has great memories of his high balling lifestyle.

M-Net’s Director of Local Entertainment Channels, Reneilwe Sema commented on the appeal of this brand new format, “I Blew It tackles some important sociological questions most of us have often caught ourselves asking: 1. What would I do if I suddenly became wealthy overnight? 2. How does one manage to blow millions of rands in such a short space of time, often becoming poorer than before? The subject matter is truly fascinating and many of the characters and their stories are so uniquely South African, that our viewers will identify from the onset.”

This original M-Net format is produced by Bonngoe TV in collaboration with Media 360°. Catch I Blew It season one, every Saturday on Mzansi Wethu DStv Channel 163 starting on 6 October at 7:30PM.

Published by Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB, Andrew has worked full time in the film industry since the early 2000's. He has trained as an actor, completing his LAMDA Gold Medal, and attending many courses in Cape Town acting studios, with masterclasses with some of the international industries top directors, producers and filmmakers.
Working as an actor and armourer in the film and television industry have given Andrew a great balance of skills across the board when it comes to the entertainment industry.
Catch him on Twitter: twitter.com/andrewgerm_za
And IMDb: www.imdb.com/name/nm5390453/
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